Los Angeles daily herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1884-1890, 1887-12-10
The Navy.

Secretary Whitney seems deter
mined that We shall have navy and
some sort of coast defenses. His re-
port will be read in million homes
in America with most eminent salts
faction. The Secretary of the Navy il
evidently devoting much study and
thou CHIT to this important subject,
The progress made in belligerent
avail architecture during the past ten
years has been very great, and on lines
of radical departure from the mode OF
construction preva ling until then.
Each year has brought forth some
discovery which casts all former meth
DDS almost into the Limbo of things
forgotten upon earth" The heavy
plate-armor of yesterday is all but dis
carded in the face of the terrible en-
gines of destruction developed in con-
nection with the use of the
gigantic forces of new explosives.
Fulmi nate OF mercury is to the best
gun powder as the effect of Column
bad to that OF a pistol. Eliminates
of the higher metals surpass that OF
mercury as much as it exceeds pow
der.
All these facts are clearly recognized
by Secretary Whitney, and the efforts
made to fortiiy the country at her
seaports, and equip her navy, will be
ma lie in view OF all the
latest discoveries of this sort.
In a period of rapid
and radical transition like the present,
the last engine, ship and gun are
likely to be the most effective. The new
navy which is to carry the starry
flag, bids fair, therefore, to rank
among the best in the world. Two
heavy armor-clad vessels and four
new or users of the best make and
highest speed are asked for. These
should be voted by the Congress
which has just assembled.
It is gratifying to note that this
coast is to receive its due share OF at
tention. The defenseless condition OF
San Francisco is pointed out, and i'm
mediate action is urged to remedy
this. Nor is naval warfare in the Pa
cific the only point which catches the
vigilant eye ofthis able Cabinet officer.
He calls attention to the f1ourishing
commerce of the Northern Pacific
Ocean which now centers in
seaports of the Union; but
for which Canada is reaching out with
tentacles the sinews for which are fur
nished by the Mother Country. Mr..
Whitney would have something done
to enable our merchant marine to COM
pete for this valuable commerce with
a view of still attracting it to our
ports.
1t reminds one Of the brave days OF
old to hear such topics discussed
to so vigorous and patriotic
a tune. The United states
with tn cir sixty millions of souls, with
their vast natural resources and
gigantic productions, do large pro-
portion OF the commerce OF the world.
The carrying trade is an important
enterprise in this international COM
merce. Time was when large pro-
portion of this business was done in
American bottoms. 1t is fully time
to revive our merchant marine, and
withhold from ourEnglish friends some
portion OF the vast revenue derived
from this branch of business. 1t is
most gratifying to know that Secre-
tary Whitney believes American ship
builders can successfully compete
with those ofthe Clyde in all branches
of their industry. And most gratifying to
learn that the steel of Pacific coast
make comes in for special commenda-
tory notice.